Apple for the Teacher

Headteacher Mrs. Nicola Driffield and
Governor Mr. Giles McNeill  with a
MacBook Air and iPad

Teachers and pupils at Nettleham Infants School will be getting to grips with modern technology when the new term begins in September. Classroom teachers and students are being issued with the popular iPad tablet computers, made by Apple.

Teachers will benefit from the iPads ability to help them manage their classrooms more efficiently. Whilst providing a powerful new tool to achieve the outstanding outcomes that every parent wants for their child. Nettleham Infants School’s 4 – 6 year olds will be using the devices in the classroom too. The children will be able to choose and find resources that they need, and share their learning with classmates.

Teachers already working with iPads have noticed how the pupils retain much more information since the devices started to appear in classrooms. Motivation and behaviour are also enhanced.

Giles McNeill, Chairman of the School Governor's Finance, Land and Buildings & Health and Safety Committee, took delivery of the first set of devices today; he said: 

"It is important that we give the children in our school the best possible start we can. Tablet computers are the latest technology and our children will grow up in a world where these devices will continue to be evermore commonplace.

"I believe that this change is positive and very exciting, with a set of iPads in the classroom the teacher becomes a facilitator of learning. Other forms of technology – like the interactive whiteboards, great as they are – leave the technology still in the hands of the teacher and the children as onlookers. The iPad will change that dynamic within the classroom."

In the first instance the iPads will be used by the older children at the school, but consideration is being given to whether similar devices should be roll-out to the reception classes.

A Glimps of An Alternative Future

The violent protests witnessed on Millbank this week were a stark - and deplorable - illustration of the anger that's sparked when politicians go back on their promises.

Even supporters of the Alternative Vote (AV), such as Professor Vernon Bogdanor, recognise that AV would increase the likelihood of coalition government and therefore coalition agreements - party-political bargains made behind closed doors and never put to a public vote.

The Liberal Democrats made the pledge not to raise tuition fees a centrepiece of their general election campaign, but rapidly ditched it when drawing up their power-sharing agreement with the Conservatives a few weeks later. Broken promises like this will become even more common if Britain switches to a voting system which delivers regular hung parliaments.

Everyone share in the frustration with politicians that casually renege on their promises but the Alternative Vote would not do anything to stop this: indeed, it will only make the problem worse.

Those campaigning for a 'No' vote, like this blog, believe that politics should be transparent and political parties held to account on their manifestos. We share the bemusement of Labour MP Tom Harris that Nick Clegg was so keen to push for a referendum on what he had described as a 'miserable little compromise'. That's why you should say keep your power to decide who you're governed by - vote NO to AV!